Other than playing hockey and various sports in the winter months on the coast the other sport that has been growing at a rapid pace is Soccer.

Games are played with numerous volunteers helping out a sport is not only fun for their children, but also Family affordable for everyone to play.

That alone makes it worthwhile and given the growth of the sport throughout Canada, it’s not too surprising that there are more than 10,000 set to compete  toward the Canada Soccer Toyota National Championships starting in October.

We are hearing that there are (around) 600 clubs that have participated over the 13 months, with all 63 finalists confirmed for this year’s Toyota National Championships.

The event will run from 4-9 October  and the competing clubs are looking forward competing to 153 matches across six competitions from which the 2017 amateur national champions will be crowned over Thanksgiving weekend across three Canadian cities.

There were over 10,000 players that took part in the qualifying competitions that saw 595 teams registered in both Provincial and Territorial competitions.

The event held in Surrey will be at the Newton Athletic Field and the Men’s Challenge Trophy & Women’s Jubilee Trophy.

There are 10 teams in the Men’s Challenge Trophy that see’s the event divided into two groups of five, while the Women’s Jubilee Trophy was divided into three groups of three.

Each team will play four matches in five days, with all teams crossing over to play a similar-ranked team from the opposite group on the final day.

The two group winners will play in the championship match on Teck Finals Day at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey (12.30 local / 15.30 ET / 12.30 PT).

It’s interesting to note that of the 10 teams that have reached the Toyota National Championships, eight have been at this event in years prior to this.

Former champions have been Calgary Callies FC, Saskatoon HUSA Alumni, FC Winnipeg Lions, and Holy Cross SC are former national champions.

Two clubs have their sights set on the Challenge Trophy to become a first time champion and they are the Vancouver Club Inter FC from British Columbia and Celtix Haut-Richelieu from Québec.

Group A: Vancouver Club Inter FC, Calgary Callies FC, Saskatoon HUSA Alumni, Western Halifax FC, Holy Cross SC

Group B: Yukon Selects, FC Winnipeg Lions, Durham Celtic FC, Celtix Haut-Richelieu, Fredericton Picaroons Reds

Group A

Vancouver Club Inter FC

• 2017 BC Cup winners coached by Joe Marrello
• Qualified 15 May with 2:0 win over Aldergrove United (from field of 46 teams)
• 1-time British Columbia winners (2017)
• First Challenge Trophy finals at Surrey 2017

Holy Cross SC

• 2017 Newfoundland Labrador provincial winners coached by Jeremy Babstock
• Qualified 3 September with 3:1 win over St. Lawrence Laurentians (from field of 6 teams)
• 19-time Newfoundland Labrador provincial winners (1950, 1973, 1979, 1981, 1983-86, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2009-12, 2014, 2015, 2017)
• Challenge Trophy national champions at Saskatoon 1988

Thanks to Soccer Canada for the info.